Dillon Head
The San Diego Padres acquired 2023 NL batting champ Luis Arraez from the Miami Marlins on Friday night, digging into their minor league system in the exchange. Going the other way were Lake Elsinore OF Dillon Head, the Padres’ #7 prospect per Baseball America, OF Jakob Marsee (#11), 1B/OF Nathan Martorella (#17) and RHP Woo-Suk Go.
Head, age 19, was the 25th overall pick in last year’s draft and played in 21 games for the Storm this season, slashing .237/317/.366 with 5 doubles, 2 triples and 1 HR.
Marsee and Martorella both played for Lake Elsinore in 2022 and were at AA San Antonio this year, along with Go. Martorella was a baserunner when he was informed of the trade and he and Marsee left the field in the middle of an inning.
ECHAVARRIA DEBUTS WITH STOCKTON
Steven Echavarria
RHP Steven Echavarria, Oakland’s #6 prospect according to MLB.com, made his professional debut with Stockton on Thursday night in a game the Ports eventually won in 10 innings, 4-3. The 18-year old, who was picked in the third round of last year’s draft, went 3 2/3 innings with 2 unearned runs allowed on 5 hits and 3 BB with 3 Ks. Echavarria threw 74 pitches, 46 for strikes. After success in showcase games and a dominant senior season in high school, this was the first look against professional hitters. From the Stockton Ports webpage:
Highly-touted prospect Steven Echavarria made his pro debut on Thursday in Stockton. He looked the part of budding ace that the A’s paid three-times over slot value to get to de-commit to the Florida Gators when they took him in the third round of last year’s draft at just 17 years of age.
The now 18-year-old flashed the velocity on the heater and bite on the off speed pitches early on, before running into a little trouble in the fourth. He exited after 74 pitches (46 for strikes) with two outs and the bases loaded. Micah Dallas induced a pop up in the infield, but with no other infielder able to get to the ball, Dallas tried to play it himself, only for it to pop out of his glove for an error, allowing Visalia to take a 2-0 lead.
DEYVISON DE LOS SANTOS BACK IN DIAMONDBACKS ORG, TEARING UP AA
Deyvison De Los Santos
IF Deyvison De Los Santos played with the Visalia Rawhide in 2021 and 2022 as an 18-year old and quickly moved up the organizational ladder to AA Amarillo by the end of 2022. After a full season there in 2023 where De Los Santos slashed .254/.297/.431 with 20 HRs and 61 RBIs, the Diamondbacks left the 20-year old unprotected last winter. The Cleveland Guardians claimed him and De Los Santos went to Spring Training with the condition that he would have to be on Cleveland’s big league roster all season or else be returned to the Diamondbacks.
The Dominican native bonded with Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez and was mentored by the superstar this spring before being returned to the Diamondbacks on March 23rd. Whatever JRAM shared with De Los Santos appears to have worked as he is off to a blazing start at AA Amarillo, slashing .392/.438/.722, and leading the league with 9 HRs, 38 hits and 21 RBIs Still just 20-years old, it appears the Diamondbacks dodged a bullet in leaving him unprotected last year.
